My stay at Sakaeya was without a doubt the highlight of my 3 week Japan trip. I did a ton of research to find an onsen town for a traditional ryokan experience before splurging on this stay and this exceeded all expectations. Staff were above and beyond friendly and accommodating, the superior quad room was very spacious and comfortable. I recommend including half board for breakfast and dinner. In my private dining room, the multi course meals were delicious and each presentation was a work of art. Shuttle to and from station and monkey park was the cherry on top. The unique experience of everyone walking the streets at night in Rakuten to visit the 9 onsens with private key cannot be matched. Don’t hesitate, book!

I cannot think of one thing I would change. Incredible experience!

Stayed one night with my family with half board. Superb location right in the smack of Shibu Onsen; very accommodating and friendly staff; most delicious and abundant of food; comfortable bedding and spacious room; convenient parking and close to Snow Monkey park and Shibu public onsens. The ryokan's women and mens' baths were wonderful and mostly we enjoyed by ourselves. We had our own dinning area for breakfast and dinner. Our server was so sweet like our おばあちゃん, she served us two meals and we wished we could bring her home with us. There's an area on the 4th floor like a lounge with art supplies and coffee to relax. We loved our stay at Sakaeya and can't wait to go back soon!

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This is a true Japanese cultural and cuisine experience that was the highlight of our holiday. The room with private Onsen and private bathroom was exceptional and much better than we imagined for a traditional Raikan and the Onsen experience was worth pushing our comfort zones for. The culinary offerings were incredible (even if many were not to our taste) they clearly pride themselves on perfection, symmetry and are proud of their cultural roots. Some of their dishes have been presented to the imperial household and wearing traditional clothing and private intimate dining you simply couldn’t ask for a truer traditional & cultural experience at the highest end. The Raikan bus to the snow monkeys is only a 5 minute drive and they ask for a small contribution to cover their costs. The private Onsen on the terrace was an absolute treat.

Nothing but you will need to embrace the whole ethos to get the most from your stay and you must want to enjoy it as the Japanese do. If you don’t intend to throw yourself into the traditional Onsen and Raikan cultural experience you won’t get as much out of it.

The service was outstanding. We got yukatas, Harris, some sweets and a fresh cup of tea at the beginning. I have some tattoo but I was allowed to come and gabe a private room including our own onsen bath. The room was huge with tatami mats, wonderful cosmetics, a rain shower two big beds, very clean. Lovely music playing. The diner and breakfast was a lot but not too much. We were able to taste so many different things, and we bought a typical onsen puddin l. Furthermore there was a free shuttle back to yudanaka station where the denesetsu line goes. Fantastic place and I miss it

We liked everything ♥️

Our experience was beyond expectations - the staff were so accommodating, friendly and very knowledgable. We had a suite with private hot spa - which was private and enjoyable as we enjoyed the hot spa while it was snowing - which was amazing! The dinner and breakfast was some of the best food I have ever enjoyed - and I have been many places around the world. I had my adult son with me - it was a special birthday - and the staff remember and arranged birthday surprise at dinner. I cannot rate this accommodation more highly - it is one of the most memorable stays I have ever experienced.

Located right in the middle of Shibu Onsen, Sakaeya is in an excellent location for those wanting to explore the village and public onsens, or catch a local bus to the Jigokudani Yaen-Koen Monkey Park. The staff were very kind and helpful, even helping out with basic medicines for one of my teenagers who got sick during our stay. The in-house meal option is a must - the dinners were absolutely 5-star, exquisitely prepared and presented, and were a highlight of our stay. The room was great, with views over the river. The public onsen inside the hotel had 3 separate options, one outside in the open air which we enjoyed when it was snowing. I learned that there is also a private onsen on the top floor, which another visitor told me was amazing, however we did not know about it until we were leaving. A shuttle bus was available between the hotel and Yudanaka station, which was great.

Nothing.

We loved this Ryokan. We had a suite with a private onsen and it was everything we hoped it would be! We had western beds which were very comfortable. We stayed in suite 502 and it was very spacious with complimentary drinks in the refrigerator (beer, sake, water). The staff was incredible and their English was good. We had our own private dining room for breakfast and dinner each day. The meals were delicious. You must be adventurous and willing to try everything, but it is so worth it. We wore our Yukatas to dinner each night and really enjoyed the traditional Japanese experience. The inn is in a quiet area of Shibu Onsen. We stayed two nights so that we could spend a morning at the Snow Monkey Park. The staff arranged for us to take a van up to Snow Monkey Park entrance. We did have to walk the 20 min to the actual entrance from where we were dropped off, but it is an easy walk. Of note, you can rent snow shoes or gear at this point if needed. We didn't need to, but it is nice to know this is available in snowy conditions. When we first arrived at Snow Monkey Park around 10:00 a.m., we were told there were no monkeys in the park. This apparently happens when they are breeding and eating in the Fall (it was 12/5). We chose to pay and go in anyway and wait to see if they came. About 30 min later, we suddenly had tons of monkeys running down the mountain to the hot springs. It was incredible!! There is a nice little restaurant just outside of monkey park entrance to grab lunch. We chose to not arrange transport back from Monkey Park, and very glad we did this so we could spend as much time as we wanted at the park. The walk back was 45 min downhill and not bad at all. The afternoon we spent enjoying our private onsen. It was the most relaxing part of our 3-week trip to Japan. The staff arranged for us to have transport to the train station on our final morning as well. We didn't want to leave! Highly recommend this hotel!! It was worth every penny!!

Our stay at Sakaeya was our favorite during our trip to Japan, and we only regret we hadn’t booked more time there. Accommodations were very comfortable with plenty of room, and the staff was amazing. They thought of everything to make our stay very pleasant and relaxing, including providing skincare! The included meals were incredible and very local, with several courses highlighting different kinds of food. We felt like we were on a second honeymoon. The in-room onsen was a big plus. They have a shuttle that can be booked at a reasonable price too, which was perfect for visiting the monkey park. The property is also central to the town, and it’s very easy to access to other public onsen.

Nothing. There is nothing I can think of that I didn’t like.

We had an unbelievably wonderful stay. As soon as we arrived, the atmosphere made us feel relaxed. Our room was large, authentically furnished and the beds were very comfortable. On the 4th floor there is the option of choosing from different pillows (pillows for tense necks, headaches etc.). The onsen was furnished to a high standard, there are two inside and one outside. Several activities are within easy reach. A bus stop is a two-minute walk away. By bus you can reach the well-known Snow Monkey Park, but also Shiga Kogen, a beautiful hiking and skiing area. Many thanks to all the staff who made our stay so enjoyable.

What did we like? Everything. With respect to the three standouts: The food is outstanding - we purchased breakfast and dinner included and I would not consider recommending doing anything else. The value for money this represents does nothing to diminish the quality. It is a private, traditional Japanese dining experience with variety and a focus on local produce. The service was also exceptional with extremely friendly and competent staff. We felt they went above and beyond. The bath - oh my, the bath. Just unreal, we booked the room with a private bath and once again we will not go past it when we return. A private, reasonably spacious bath with a view to the mountains - it is incredible.

Nothing.